


Earthly Diamonds

by Swordtheguy



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Anxiety, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Gen, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-21
Updated: 2016-11-21
Packaged: 2018-09-01 07:44:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8615524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swordtheguy/pseuds/Swordtheguy
Summary: Earth was different. It was free. A place where you can be you and live your life however you want.But after recent events, Jade is starting to doubt that.





	

**Author's Note:**

> While they haven't been properly introduced yet, Jade and Emerald might be familiar to anyone who read my defunct fic [Refugees from Homeworld](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7396195/chapters/16799998). They are going to be reintroduced eventually but for now, consider this a small preview of them.

The sun was setting.

It wasn’t the first time Jade had seen it. Earth’s solar cycles were short, so it seemed like every other time Jade looked in the sky the sun was either rising or setting. But this was the first time she had stopped and actually watched the sun set.

She sat on the edge of the cliff, her feet dangling over the beach below her. Her eyes were set on the sun, looking away only to view the ocean and how the light and colors of the sunset played against it.

It was beautiful. Steven had been right in that regard when he suggested it.

But despite that, it didn’t really help her. It didn’t calm her nerves and feelings like he had said it would. Instead, seeing it and all of it’s beauty simply continued to rub her already raw nerves. Because it was a lie. The planets way to hide that, for all Jade had heard about Earth, it’s beauty, it’s peacefulness, it’s freedom, they were all just lies. Which made Jade think, had Earth ever been those things? Or was the pearl that had told Jade about the freedom of Earth such a long time ago... Had she been lying or misled herself?

It didn’t matter, of course. Jade had already sacrificed whatever semblance of a life she had on Homeworld. No great loss. What was, however, was who she had brought with her. The life they had lost. All so they could follow Jade to some impossible dream…

Jade heard the sound of soft footsteps behind her. She knew who it was before they sat down next to her.

“Hey, Emerald,” she said, trying her best to sound unbothered. Not that Emerald was ever so easily deceived, even if Jade had been a capable liar.

Jade turned to face her friend, who easily signed her greetings followed by a simple question.

“Ah, you know,” Jade responded. “Just… thinking.”

Emeralds expression turned to concern. She signed another question.

“Just…” Jade trailed off before smirking sadly. “Humans are weird, you know?”

Emerald shrugged.

“I mean, I asked Pearl and Steven and Steven’s friend Connie, to explain some important parts of human history and… so many times, the same… themes, I guess, keep emerging.” Jade picked up a nearby rock and threw it off the cliff. It sailed over the beach and splashed into the surf. “The powerful using fear and violence against those who can’t defend themselves.” She let out a bitter laugh. “Sound a little familiar?”

Emerald nodded glumly. Even though she had technically been in the nobility, Emerald knew well what Homeworld was like to it’s lowest rung. Spending so much time with Jade had subjected her to that, much to Jade’s dismay and guilt, at times.

“When I first heard of Earth, I thought it was a place where anyone could be free. Free to be themselves and to live out their lives happily and safely. Something you just can’t get on Homeworld,” Jade said.

Emerald pursed her lips as her fingers quickly moved to sign a question.

“Earth’s only better until we’re in the crosshairs, Emerald. Once we are then-” Jade stopped as she realized that Emerald had no idea what she was referring to. Emerald hadn’t taken to trying to learn as much about the planet as Jade had. She had no idea what was happening with the discourse surrounding the humans who lived around them.

No idea that, once again, the powerful were using fear and violence against those who couldn’t defend themselves.

“Ah, it’s nothing, Emerald,” Jade said, turning away. She didn’t want to see what Emerald was going to sign next. But again, Emerald wasn’t so easily dissuaded. Jade felt a hand on her shoulder. It wasn’t forceful, it didn’t try and turn Jade around. It was just Emerald’s way of letting her know that she had something to say.

Jade turned back around and saw that Emerald had no question to sign. She merely had her hand outstretched, palm up. She had a kind grin on her face and her eyes were full of brightness, despite their crestfallen look.

Jade hesitated where she sat. She knew what Emerald wanted, but to do so, would also lay bare everything Jade was feeling, something she didn’t want to thrust onto Emerald.

But… the thought of being with Emerald right now… it was a comforting one. So she decided to indulge Emerald, a decision she would later berate herself for being selfish. But that would be for later. For now, Jade gently took Emerald’s hand into her own. Already, she could see the light emanating from the gem on her forehead, a matching light coming from the gem on Emerald’s arm.

And then, she wasn’t just herself. She was them. Together. A feeling always felt so… freeing.

And one that didn’t last, as she knew that, in that moment, everything she had been thinking, all the hate and toxicity that had been spreading throughout the human sphere, it all got dumped on Emerald.

_ Jade… What… I don’t understand… _

_ It’s… just human stuff… _

_ And… it’s got you worried? _

Jade hesitated.  _ Worried… and feeling betrayed. _

_ Betrayed? By what? _

_ Because Earth was suppose to be better than this. It was promised as a place where we could be free. To just be us. But in the end… Earth isn’t like that… In some ways… it’s just like Homeworld. _

Jade felt Emerald take her hands into her own.

_ No, that’s not true. _

_ How isn’t it? _

_ Because you’ve also seen how people are reacting to it. They’re angry, they're upset, but they're not backing down. They’re standing together, as one. That’s what we have to do. _

Jade smirked.  _ You can’t fuse, remember? _

_ You know what I mean. _

_ … Yeah. I do but… Will it really be that easy? _

Emerald smiled easily.  _ No, of course not. But that’s why we have to stay together. To help each other when we stumble. To always have each other’s backs and be at each others side. _

_ But- _

_ No. No ‘buts’. You’re stronger than you think you are, Jade. And I’ve seen that for myself. _

_ Emerald… _

_ This is just another hardship. We can get through this with our friends, Jade. And with each other. _

Jade blinked several times in rapid succession. She was back on the cliff, Emerald sitting across from her. Before she could even fully open her eyes, Jade lunged at her and wrapped her arms tightly around her. She could feel Emerald do the same.

Her vision began to blur as her eyes filled with tears, but she could still see the last bit of the sunset, it’s lights and colors dancing off the ocean.

It was going to be a new day soon enough.

And it was beautiful.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in the immediate fallout of the 2016 American election. In the aftermath, I felt hurt, angry, and anxious as I saw family celebrating, but also saw dear friends worried and fearful to what this meant. In the face of that and feeling completely powerless to help, I indulged in a bit of vent writing that eventually morphed into what you see above.
> 
> As you've no doubt noticed, I've put comment moderation on. If you want to praise/bash the fic, then you'll be fine. But if you leave a comment about politics, regardless of which side of the aisle it comes from, it will be deleted. This is not the place for a political debate and I won't let one break out.
> 
> Thanks for the read and, as always, critical feedback is welcomed.


End file.
